Second Semi-Final: Press Conference and Running Order Draw

Sweden’s Loreen danced in faux snow and Turkey’s Can Bonomo sailed the seven seas in search of booty, both to rapturous applause. But they were just two of the acts to qualify from the second semi-final. Lithuania, Bosnia, Serbia, Ukraine, F.Y.R., Macedonia, Norway, Estonia, and Malta also advanced. Wiwi attended the press conference afterwards where sweaty contestants fielded non-sensical questions (two each) and drew their start order for the final. Here’s what the contestant had to say.

What they said

Lithuania: Donny Montell with “Love Is Blind”

Still recoiling from the naked women in his LED backdrop, Donny looked somewhat intimidated as he entered the press conference. A Lithuanian journalist asked what it is like to qualify for the final despite coming from a small country. Danny suggested that size doesn’t matter. “I think everybody here is very talented,” he said. “It’s obvious, but what about the bigger countries? They are big, but music is one. We are just singing from our hearts and it doesn’t matter if you’re big or small. If you feel the music in your heart it doesn’t matter how big you are.” When a second journalist suggested that Donny wasn’t a favorite he snapped back playfully. “Who said I wasn’t a favorite?”

Start order: 4

Bosnia: Maya Sar with “Kora ti znam”

Bosnia looked as shocked to be attending the winners’ press conference as I was shocked to be including her in this write-up. Only one journalist wanted to ask Maya a question, and she answered in Bosnian, so I have nothing more to add. Sad Wiwi.

Start order: 5

Serbia: Zeljko Joksimovic with “Nije ljubav stvar”

The first journalist asked what was more intense: competing in 2004 or now. Zeljko didn’t hesitate. “2004 definitely. This time is a little bit easier because I am older. Eight years. Thank you.” A second journalist asked Zeljko whether writing songs for other singers or singing songs for himself was more emotional. “Definitely my grand role is singer and composer at the same time. And this is with a capital “I.” I was in 2004 a singer and composer, and this is my second time as a singer and composer. It is very powerful for me.”

Start order: 24

Ukraine: Gaitana with “Be My Guest”

Our favorite Congolese-Ukrainian pop star entered the press conference wearing that Hawaiian lei on her head again. “I feel so happy,” she said. “I’m happy today because it was like an examination for me. I was a little bit worried, but now I’m happy. I know the Ukraine is happy also. Ukraine! Thank you Azerbaijan for your beautiful country, for your friendly people. I really feel like I’m at home in Baku.” A Ukrainian journalist asked if Gaitana would improve her show for the final. “I’m proud that I worked with a Ukrainian team. I’m going to sing even better in the final because I’ll be more relaxed. Thank you for your support Ukraine, and all the Europe. Thank you journalists from all the Europe. You’re very kind to me and give me the feeling that I can relax here.”

Start order: 25

Sweden: Loreen with “Euphoria”

Loved her performance, but hated the awful top hat she wore to the press conference. She sounded completely stoned throughout. “Wow. I actually feel euphoric. I’m in a zone. I’m in a state of mind where I just feel happy, so I’m very, very happy about this.” How would you describe the performance on the stage? “It felt good. It is a hard performance because there are so many things you have to think about. The cameras, and to sing right and to dance right. But this time I managed to stay very focused. I did. And give up some nice energy to the world.” A second journalist asked about Loreen’s relationship with Tooji and whether it was hard to compete against her friend. “To me, I’m gonna say something nice, baby. To me it’s not only about winning, it’s about presenting something that is beautiful and we all do that and we have our unique way of doing it. So either way if it’s Tooji, if it’s me, if it’s anyone else, to me we are all winners.” Loreen met with political opposition leaders in Azerbaijan, and was asked why she chose to do so. The Azerbaijani emcee said such questions would kill the atmosphere and seemed out of place. Journalists hissed and Loreen responded. “What I can say is there are two parts of me. One that is private and one that is my work that I’m doing here. Just today I want to keep the focus on this energy we created right now. Thank you.”

Start order: 17

F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi with “Crno i belo”

Kaliopi was incredibly emotional. When asked if she had anything to say, she said a lot. “I’d like to say we celebrate life through the music, and I celebrate this evening with my heart. For me and for my country Macedonia after four years, finally we are in the final. I’d like to say also I’m very happy. It’s a big honor for me to have Miss Lys Asia, a Eurovision legend, here with us. It’s so nice to see such a beautiful woman in front of me. I have one big question for all of you. Where is my ex-husband now?” Her ex-husband wrote her song and stood up at the back of the room. “I’d like to say thanks a lot. Yes, thanks a lot. I know now that it’s a very good thing to stay in a good relationship with an ex-husband. He make my song. He make me happy, not only me, but many peoples. Thanks.” She went on and on about her small country and how the people have such big hearts. “I know that my people in Macedonia are very, very happy. I received many messages this evening. But when I finished my performance this evening I was happy. And that was enough for me because I enjoyed these three minutes. But now I am more happy.”

Then Deban Aderemi from WiwiBloggs.Com stood up and asked which entries Kaliopi was most mournful for following the first semi-final. “Actually, if I am able I make a different final evening. I make final evening with all 42 countries. Really. Every artist who is here is great. We have really, really amazing Eurovision concert in Baku.”

Start order: 22

Norway: Tooji with “Stay”

“Me and my team have been working so hard, and I’m so frickin’ happy right now. On Saturday I can finally celebrate my birthday! Yay!” Tooji met some of his Iranian relatives for the first time in a long time while he was here. What did it mean to him to see them again? “It means everything to me. To see my aunt again–one of the people that means the most to me–after ten years was pretty emotional. To be here in Baku is the closest I can be to my roots. The people here have the same warmth and almost the same culture.” Asked about his chances to win Eurovision he said: “I am in this competition to win, and I will win.”

Start order: 12

Estonia: Ott Lepland with “Kuula”

Ott speaks with a seriously thick Australian accent. It’s almost as if his nanny were from Sydney. “I’m truly honored to sit in front of the same table with all those wonderful artists. It’s an honor for me, so thank you.” Apparently Ott won Estonian Idol, and a journalist wanted to know if he is on the verge of an international breakthrough. “Well, it’s difficult to say. I would like to hope so. But there is still a long way to go starting on Saturday. I think the main goal is to perform good on Saturday. I wouldn’t like to think about the result. I just want to perform good and represent my country with dignity. It’s very hard to say if it’s an international breakthrough. I have a lot of work to do to do that.”

Start order: 11

Malta: Kurt Calleja with “This Is the Night”

Kurt seemed overwhelmed and exhausted. “I’m actually really nervous at the moment. I’ve been biting my nails and stuff. That’s not a good sign. Malta has not been in the final for a few years now, so to finally be back is amazing. As a small country Eurovision is one of the only platforms we have to represent ourselves, so it’s a big deal for me and my country. I’ve had a good number of messages from my friends and family from Malta. Thank you all for your love and support.” According to the oddsmakers, Malta wasn’t tipped to make it. “The odds weren’t in our favor. I just really listened to every piece of advice that I got in the last three months. Every single thing from clothes to moves to smiling to not smiling and what to do with my hair color. I took it all into consideration. But the most important thing is what I sing in my song: believe and achieve. This is something I want to transmit to my audience.” How will he party tonight? “If you come to my heart with my microphone you could probably dance. It’s going boom boom boom boom.” Then he let his friend Can Bonomo draw his number for him.

Start order: 21

Turkey: Can Bonomo with “Love Me Back”

“I’m really excited and feel honored and proud to come to Euovision to promote my country. I’m also really excited that it’s in Baku, our brother country. I feel really lucky because of it. They announced us at the very end of the show. It was either going to be a golden ticket to the final or a one-way ticket to Istanbul. But we passed that and I feel very lucky we made it to the final and I’m happy.” How will he improve for the finals? “We will continue working. We’ve been constantly working and hopefully we are going to be greater and better, and hopefully we’re going to do something good.” A journalist dressed up as a cat then asked him what his river would be in the final. Everyone was confused. “I want to cry you a river Justin Timberlake style. But if you mean ‘rivals’ there are many, many talented musicians here and I am just at the beginning of my musical career, so everyone.”

Start order: 18

Running Order Draw

1. United Kingdom: Engelbert Humperdinck with “Love Will Set You Free”
2. Hungary: Compact Disco with “Sound of Our Hearts”
3. Albania: Rona Nishliu with “Suus”
4. Lithuania: Donny Montell with “Love Is Blind”
5. Bosnia: Maya Sar with “Kora ti znam”
6. Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki with “Party for Everybody”
7. Iceland: Greta and Jonsi with “Remember Me”
8. Cyprus: Ivi Adamou with “La La Love”
9. France: Anggun with “Echo (You and I)”
10. Italy: Nina Zilli with “Out of Love”
11. Estonia: Ott Lepland with “Kuula”
12. Norway: Tooji with “Stay”
13. Azerbaijan: Sabina Babayeva with “When the Music Dies”
14. Romania: Mandinga with “Zaleilah”
15. Denmark: Soluna Samay with “Should’ve Known Better”
16. Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou with “Aphrodisiac”
17. Sweden: Loreen with “Euphoria”
18. Turkey: Can Bonomo with “Love Me Back”
19. Spain: Pastora Soler with “Quedate Conmigo”
20. Germany: Roman Lob with “Standing Still”
21. Malta: Kurt Calleja with “This Is the Night”
22. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi with “Crno i belo”
23. Ireland: Jedward with “Waterline”
24. Serbia: Zeljko Joksimovic with “Nije ljubav stvar”
25. Ukraine: Gaitana with “Be My Guest”
26. Moldova: Pasha Parfeny with “Lautar”